Router Wing w/ Saddle Fence

This is my 4th router attempt for this tablesaw wing. All others worked well for a while and let me down when adjustments needed to be made. That being the case, the design was based on being adjustable to those shifts and things that always happen.

The table top is a salvaged 1.5” thick melamine coated electricians bench. It rests on a torsion box made of “2 by” material. There are 8 set screws on the torsion box that are accesible from underneath to level the table with the saw. Four wood screws attach the top to the box and must be loosened to allow the set screws to do their thing.

I extended the tablesaw rails for the left wing by adding angle iron to both sides. The short lengths are strong enough to keep the outer end from lowering with downwards pressure. Machine bolts and nuts secure the angle iron to the torsion box and factory rails.

The fence is great, but it is massive in my small shop when not being used. I plan to eliminate the saddle and add T-track and cam clamps next time I get to Woodzone or Rockler. On that note, I need a miter slot as well. The fence saddle is plywood and the fence itself is MDF. There is a 1.5” MDF support behind the 3/4” adjustable Fence faces. Loosening two wingnuts allow the fence to move as can be seen in the last picture. The saddle is secured to the tablesaw fence using machine bolts into T-Nuts to act as set screws (pic 3). The dust port is set up for a standard Shop-Vac, but I think a 4” port for a DC would work better if anyone decides to do this. I’ve made a couple simpe stop blocks, bit guards, and such for the fences T-track.

The drawer underneath has pegboard in it drilled to accept both 1/4” and 1/2” bits and accesories. The Dewalt 618 router is attached to a Rosseau base plate and wired to a switch. I have a foot pedal that I want to try as well, but I always seem to be hunting for it with my foot. Might have to fasten it down some how.

I like to go back and update my feelings towards projects after they have seen use over time. Anyone using this idea as a part of their design should know some of the details should be changed. I have upgraded the the standard wing nuts and washers with true knobs. It provides much better control on tightening parts. The standard acrylic piece housing the shop vac attachment was a bad call. It broke under very little abuse. Use decent plastic that won’t crack (having a 4” connection couldn’t hurt either). The MDF moving face fence didn’t stand up well. The points nearest the bits showed wear fairly quickly, which in turn could make the fence not true to each side. A hardwood plywood or a hardboard face would be better suited. Since MDF doesn’t take screws as well, the T-Tracks worked loose. Again, a plywood/hardboard change would help there. Other than that, it has been great. The joints have held to 90 degrees and it’s been fairly simple to set up when ready for it.